Contemporary Materials Science and Engineering spans a wide spectrum of topics, ranging from theoretical studies of the electronic structure of materials to the design, synthesis, and processing of advanced materials. The faculty of the University of Minnesota's Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science has been productive in these areas of investigations. Departmental research is conducted in Amundson Hall, a 1950's structure deficient of quality research space. Currently, rooms dedicated for research activities, are used inefficiently because of the interspersion of wet laboratories and theory space. The shift in research emphasis toward experimental science has contributed to a mix arrangement of laboratory and theory space, which impedes the interactions of students with appropriate research groups. Funding received from the National Science Foundation will be used to renovate existing research laboratories needed to enhance and consolidate research groups by function. Renovations will include the creation of wet laboratories from theoretical and modeling research space. Laboratories for the synthesis and characterization of polymers, ceramics, and molecular materials will be equipped with chemical fume hoods and laboratory benches. Segregated instrument rooms will be designed to house materials characterization equipment, and scanning, tunneling and atomic force microscopes. By altering the configuration of research space, efficiency will be maximized which will lead to increased productivity of faculty and graduate students, in addition to improved research training. The project will enhance an already productive Department, and allow for the adaptation of new developments in Chemical and Materials Engineering.
